Wireless signaling system



Feb. 15,1927. I

- 1,617,974vv w. c. WHITE i WIRELESS SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed A112. 23', 1915 Fig.1,

' 2 /'7 /-9 mg I m;

H Inventor WiHiamGWhite l-lisAttopheg Patented Feb. 15, 1927.

UNITED STATES,

WILLIAM C. WHITE,

- 1,617,974. PATENT OFFICE.

OF SGHENECTAD'Y, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOB TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, CORPORATION OF NEW YORK. I

WIRELESS SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Application filed August 23, 1915. srial No. 46,769.

provide means for producing continuous electrical waves and means for varymg the amplitude of the waves thereby produced.

A more particular object of my invention is to provide means for varying the amplitude of the continuous waves in accordance with variations in sound waves.

In carying my invention into effect I preferably employ an electron discharge device for producing continuous electrical waves in an antenna. If such a device is supplied with a direct current source of constant potential and suitable circuit connections made thereto it may be made 'to produce continuous electrical waves of practically constant amplitude in the antenna. If, however, the potential supplied thereto is variable the amplitude of the waves produced will vary in accordance with the potential variations in the source of supply. Hence if the potential of the supply source is caused to vary in ,accordance.with variations in sound waves the amplitude of the waves produced may be caused to vary accordingly.

- The features of my invention which I believe to be novel are setforth with par ticularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, with further objects and advantages will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying draw-f ing in, which Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically one way in which my invention may be carried into effect, and Figs. 2 and 3 show modifications thereof.-

As indicated in the various figures of the drawin the means for producing continuous electrical waves in the antenna 1 comprises anelectron discharge device 2 consisting preferably of a highly evacuaited'enve lope having therein a cathode 3 of filamen-.

tary form, an anode 4, and a conducting-bod 5, which is preferably in the form of a gri interposed between the cathode and anode. The cathode and anode in the modifications shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are connected respectively 'to conductors 6 and 7, which in 1 turn are connected to-a source ofdirect current 8 of the desired potential. The circuit which includes the cathode andanode also I contains an inductance 9 which is inductiveantenna.

to the inductance 10 in the ly related The circuit which includes the cathode 3 and the grid 5 contains an'inductance 11 which is inductively related to a s'econd inductance 12 in the antenna. The coupling between- 9 and 10 is preferably close while that between 11 and 12 may in some,cases be made very loose. A battery 13 may be employed for adjusting the normal potential of the grid to a value which is most suitable for the eilicient operation of the device. The circuit which comprises the direct current source of supply 8, the inductance 9, the cathode 3, and anode 4, for convenience of description I designate the plate circuit. The circuit which comprises the grid 5, inductance 11, and cathode 3, I designate the grid circuit. Any desired means may be employed for heating the cathode 3 to incandescence. In Fig. 1 I have shown it connected directly across the source-of currenty8 through aresistance 14:

which is made variable to regulate the temduced in the grid circuit causes the grid to become more negative the current flowing in the plate circuit is decreased while an induced potential which makes the grid more positive increases the current flow in the plate circuit... These variationsin the current in the plate circuit produce an alternating current in the antenna, the frequency ofi Y which will be the same as the frequency to which the antenna is tuned. The amplitude of the high frequency waves thus pro duced in. the antenna will among other things depend upon the potential of the source of supply 8 and will be constant as long as this potential is constant and other conditions also remain unchanged, but their amplitude will vary in accordance with'any variations in the potential supplied to the' In order to vary, the amplitude of these waves in accordance with variatlons in sound waves, I may supernnpose upon the constant potential of source 8 potential variations iii ' pelled to pass through secondary l6 and the source of energy 8 condensers and 21 are preferably used to provide shunt paths for the high frequency.

The modification shown in Fig. 2 differs from that shown in Fig. l in that instead of superimposing the potential variations in secondary 16 directly upon the plate circuit of device 2 they are amplified by means of a second electron device 22 similar in structure to device 2.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the direct current source of potential 8 is omitted and the plate circuit of device 2 is supplied only with the potential induced in the secondary of transformer 23. This is of course an alternating potential of the same frequency as the sound waves. When the direction of this potential is such that cathode 3 is positive of course no current will flow in the plate circuit of device 2.

As a result the waves transmitted will not be continuous but will be sent out in groups having a frequency equal to that of the sound waves. It is possible to transmit speech by means of waves ofthis nature though the articulation may not be as perfeet as with the other arrangement. This modification however has the advantage over that shown. in Figs. 1 and 2, that waves are being supplied to the antenna only while the transmitter 18 is active. At other times the antenna is in condition for receiving signals without disconnecting the transmitting apparatus. f

This modification of my invention is de scribedand claimed in my co-pending application, Serial 'No. 274,288, filed January part of the present application.

If desired the coil 12 may be omitted and the coil 11 may be inductively related to coil10. In most cases however I find that the arrangement shown is preferableasby connecting the circuits in this way the amplitude ofthe oscillations produced is greater than if coil 11. were coupled to coil 10. This may be due to the fact that the phase relation of the currents in the grid and plate circuits with this arrangement is somewhat different than when coil 11 is directly coupled to coil 10 and that this difl'ereuee causes an increase in the amplitude oi the oscillations produced.

In the operation of the systeu'i which 1 have described, when the potential induced in the plate. circuit by reason of the action of sound waves in the telephone transmitter .lH such as to cause an increase in the current .in the plate circuit there will be a corresponding increase in the current in the antenna. As a result the current induced in the grid circuit will increase correspondingly, the potential upon the grid will be increased, and a further increase in the amplitude of the plate current will be effected thereby. \Vith proper adjustment this cumulative effect maybe useful to a large extent in increasing the. variations in the amplitude will be considerably less than the maximunu which can be setup in the antenna. With this condition a-deerease in the potential in the plate circuit will cause a corresponding decrease in the amplitude of'the oscillations set up while .an Increase in the potential of' the plate circuit will produce acorresponding increase in the amplitude of the oscillations.

While I"have shown and described three modifications of :my invention illustrating its utility for wireless telephony, I do notwish to be limited to the particular arrangements shown as itwill be apparent that many variations in the connections used may be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims, and that it may equally well be used for the wireless transmission of other signals than sound waves,

or for the transmission of sound or other signals through wired circuits.

iVhat I clann as new and desire to secure by Letters. Patentof the United States, is

1.- The combination in a-Wireless signaling system of an antenna, means comprising an grid circuits associated therewith for producing continuous electrical waves of radio frequency in said antenna, and means for electron discharge device having plate and supplying a potential which varies at audio frequencies to the plate circuit-only of said electron discharge device to vary the amplitude of the waves produced.

2. The combination in a wireless signaling system of an antenna, meanscomprising an electron discharge device having plate and grid circuits associated therewith for pro ducing continuous electrical waves in said 7 antenna, a source of constant potentiatin the plate circuit of said electron discharge device, and means for supplying a variable 4 potential to the. plate (flrflUlLOllly of said device in addition to the constant potential to vary the amplitude of the waves produced.

electron discharge device having plate and grid circuits associated therewith for producing continuous electrical waves in said antenna, a. telephone transmitter for producing potential variations which vary in accordance with variations in sound waves, and means for impressing said potential variations upon the plate circuit only of said electron discharge device.

4. The combination in a wireless signaling system of an antenna, an electron discharge device having, grid and plate (.HClhtS assoelated therewith, each of said circuits including a coil which is inductively related to a coil in said antenna, and means for supplying a potential which varies at audio frequencies to the plate circuit only of said device.

5. The combination in a wireless signaling system 9f an antenna, an electron discharge device having grid and plate circuits coupled to separate coils in said antenna and mean, for impressing a variable potential upon the plate'circuit. of said device.

6. The combination in a wireless signaling system of an antenna, an electron discharge device for producing oscillations, having grid and plate circuits coupled to separate coils in said antenna, and means for varying the amplitude of the oscillations produced bysaid electrondischarge device.

7. The method of wireless signaling which consists in producing continuous electrical waves in an antenna by means of an electron discharge device having grid and plate circuits associated therewith and varying the.

amplitude of the waves thus produced by directly applying a variable potential to the plate circuit only of said device.

8. The method which consists in producing continuous electrical Waves bymeans of arr-electron discharge device having grid and plate circuits associated therewith and var ing the. amplitude of the waves thus produced by directly applying a variable potential to the plate circuit only of said device.

9. The combination of means comprising an electron discharge device having grid and plate clrcuits associated therewith for pro ducingcontinuous electrical waves, andmeans for. supplying a-potential which varies at audio frequencies to the plate circuit only -'of said device' to vary the amplitude "of the waves produced thereby.

10. The combinatlon of means comprising an electron discharge device having grid and plate circuits associated therewith -for producing continuous electrical waves, a source of constant potential in the plate cirof constant potential in theplate circuit of potential to the plate circuit only of said 1 device in addition to the constant potential lcharge device having plate and grid circuit of said device, and means for supplying a. variable potential to the plate circuit only of said device in addition to the constant potential. source to vary the, amplitude of the waves roduced thereby. 11. he combination of means comprising an electron discharge device having grid and plate circuits associated therewith for producing continuous electrical waves, a tel-- ephone transmitter for producing potential variations which vary in accordance with variations in sound waves, and means for impressing said potential variations upon the plate circuit only of said electron discharge device. r

12. The combination in a wireless signal ing system of an antenna, an electron discharge device for producing continuous electrical waves in said antenna comprising a filamentary cathode, a cooperatinganode, a discharge controlling grid enclosed in a highly evacuated envelope and grid and plate circuit associated therewith, a source said device, a telephone transmitter for pro ducing potential variations which vary in accordance with variations 'in sound waves, and means for impressing said potential variations upon the plate circuit only of said device. I 1' 13. The combination in a signaling system of means comprising an electron discharge device having an incandescent cathode, an anode and a grid for producing continuous electrical waves, a circuit between cathode and anode and means for impressing upon a portion of said circuit through which only anode currents flow a variable potential for varying the amplitude of the waves pro' duced. p I

14:. The combination of an oscillation circuit with means comprising an electron dis charge device having plate and grid circuits associated therewith for producing continuous electrical waves of'high frequency in said oscillation circuit, and means for supplying a potential which varies at audio frequencies to the platev circuit only of said electron discharge device to vary the amplitude of the waves produced. 15. The combination of an oscillation circuit with means comprising an electron discharge device having plate and grid circuits associated therewith for producing continu ous electrical waves .in said foscillation circuit, a source of constant potential in the. plate circuit of said electron discharge de-- vice, and means for supplying a. variable.

to vary the amplitude of the waves produced. 1

16. The combination of an oscillation cir-' cuit with means comprising an electron discontinuous electrical waves in said oscilla--' tion circuit, a telephone transmitter for producing 'potential variations which vary in accordance with" variations in sound waves, and means for impressing said potential variations upon the plate-circuit only of said electron discharge device.

' said oscillation circuit, comprising a fila- 17. The combination of an oscillating circuitavith an electron discharge device having grid and plate circuits associated therewith, each of said circuits having an inductance coupling to said oscillating circuit, and means for supplying a potential which varies at audio frequencies to the plate circuit onlyof said device. i

18. The method of signaling which comprises producing continuous electrical waves in an oscillation circuit by means of an electron discharge device having plate and grid clrcuits associated therewith, and varying the amplitude of the waves thus produced by directly applyinga the plate circuit only of said device.

cuit with an electron discharge device for producmg continuous electrical Waves in nientary cathode, a cooperating anode, a discharge controlling grid enclosed in a'highly variable potential to 19. The combination of an-oscillation cirevacuated envelope, aird grid andplate circuits associated therewith, a source of constant potential inthe plate circuit of said device, a telephone transmitter for producing potential variations which vary in accordance with variations in soun and means for impressing riations .upon the plate circuit only of said device.

20. The method of modulating high frequency continuous electrical oscillations produced by, an electron discharge device having an electron emitting cathode, an anode and a grid which consists in applying a variable potential to the anode and thereby producing substantially all of the desired amplitude variation.

21. The methodof modulating high frequency continuous electrical oscillations produced by an electron discharge device havwaves,

said potential va- Y ing an electron emitting cathode, an anode In witness whereof, Ihave hereunto set my hand this 20th day of August, 1915.

WILLIAM 0. WHITE. 

